Nina Simone's Ex Has No Right To Recordings, Judge Hears

By Beth Winegarner

Law360, San Francisco (September 04, 2013, 7:48 PM ET) -- Sony Music Holdings Inc., the estate of jazz singer Nina Simone and the late singer's former lawyer urged a California federal judge Wednesday to force Simone's ex-husband to hand over 52 of Simone's master recordings so the parties can determine who owns the rights to them.

Although Sony, attorney Steven Brown and the estate are battling among themselves over who owns the rights to the master recordings, they all agree that her late ex-husband and former manager Andrew Stroud has no legal right to the recordings...